


Discovery

by Followlinkflow



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24858046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Followlinkflow/pseuds/Followlinkflow
Summary: The journey to find New Hyrule is a difficult and treacherous one. Neither of them can do it without the other.
Relationships: Link/Tetra (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	1. The Battle

**Author's Note:**

> Link and Tetra are roughly 15 years old in this story. The rest of her crew are all over 20 years old. Enjoy.

Darkness fell upon water, reflecting nothing but the obscure ceiling of the tower, with spiraling steps that go nowhere and come from nowhere. A splash resounded within its walls, followed by a violent crash. Once again she stood, sprinting full force against the immovable demon. Her fist did not make contact, stopping midair, as if an invisible hand kept her still. She flew again, meeting the ground with her back, water rushing towards her nose and mouth. She spat and stood.

“That is quite enough, princess.”

“My name is Tetra, you fuck!” she rushed him, planning to flank him. It was her shoulder that welcomed the flooded floor this time. She stood.

“I do not wish to fight you, princess.” Ganon uttered, calm and unfeeling.

Holding her skirt with her left hand, she stepped forward, trying to move it out of the way as much as possible. She ran, to then bounce back from the invisible wall that separated the two, her face receiving the impact against the floor.

Ganon sighed. “I do not care!” She rose. And she fell. “If you think you can just keep me in here, you’re death fucking wrong!” She rose. And she fell. She checked if all her teeth were still intact. They were, but her mouth was full of blood. She spat and ran, but halfway through, she stopped. Every word she spoke was muted, arms to her sides and feet high above the ground,floating. Unmoving.

“You were never that strong without the hero, princess.” Ganon announced, matter-of-factly. He glanced at her with the corner of his eye. “That hasn’t changed, not even after so many years.” She struggled with the supernatural grip that was holding her body still, but to no avail.

“Certainly though, you are the first descendant of Hylia that I’ve met that speaks with such...colorful language.” A smile creeped along the line of his lips, his eyes filled with amusement and curiosity. Although, when he finally decided to face her, his smile was long gone. “I have many regrets, child.”

She flinched.  _ Regrets? A monster like you?  _ She flexed her fingers, but her arms lacked the force to rise. “I once conquered Hyrule. Many years ago... I believe you’ve heard the stories of  _ The Hero of Time. _ ” He breathed, as if he’s held those words in his throat for the longest of times. 

“Those stories...legends, are not false. I once held the world in my hands, as the power of the Gods flowed deep within my body. I felt infinite.” He stared up, towards nothingness. “But when my desire of conquest was granted, that power left me.” He stared at her.

The grip of his magic tightened again. Her arms moved. “That Triforce Piece you hold. I feared it. I feared you,” For a moment, Ganon fell silent, closing his eyes, remembering. He continued. “I feared him. I feared the chosen ones by the Gods.” He chuckled. “I’m sorry, Zelda.” 

He paused and she watched. “At first it was to give my people a better life. I wanted them to feel the winds the Gods had gifted us.”

He stepped forward. “I grew impatient. Arrogant. And in the end, I became king of nothing. A ruined kingdom of my own making.” Ganon lowered his head, bowing. “I am truly sorry.” 

Her forearms have finally been set free from her sides, her mouth only producing muted, light noises. 

“The Gods punished me,” He clenched his fists. “They could not trust me. And even after the Hero failed to appear, they still chose destruction over my rule.” He met her gaze with his own. “I have hurt many in my crusade for revenge.” Ganon dropped his stare to the floor, his reflection staring back, changing with the ripples that formed around him, but always coming back to its original face. He frowned.

“But I will right my wrongs, I’ll get back what was ours. For our people, the children of Hyrule.” 

“And you’d... be... our king?” Tetra struggled, desperately gasping for air. “You’ll be...just and...compassionate, right?” The words were starting to come more easily. “One that has seen the world in times of peace and...times of war.” Her hand turned into a fist, regaining the strength that was previously missing. She shook her whole body, while her right hand burned bright with golden light, warm and powerful. She touched the ground.

“With an army,” Heat rose from her chest. “ Frozen in time like the ones in Hyrule Castle.” She stepped towards him with a light of gold. “While the sea disappears under the land that you wish to force upon us.” His face remained unchanged.

“Fuck that!” She raised her hand. “And fuck you!” He only frowned further as the wave of magic surged from her hand. And she felt strong. She felt the light of the sun in her fingertips. She felt as her surroundings melted into golden spectacle, and water moved from under her feet. She felt invincible. She felt like she'd never felt before and, because of these sensations, when the floor crashed against her, the betrayal hurt more than the hit.

She looked up, half because half her face was covered in water, and half because she needed to see him. To see if, at least, she had done something to him. Anything. He lowered his left hand, a resplendent glow still lingering upon it.  _ Eh, I made you use it, you asshole.  _ She snickered to herself.

“You were never much without the hero, princess.” He repeated, as he closed their distance. And as the world started to fade, she bit her lower lip and spoke one final time. “My name is Tetra...”

#

The sky of the ocean fell in droplets, a wall of sea surrounding the small platform Tetra awoke on. There, she saw the Hero of Winds, Link, slightly bent over, tired, bleeding and disarmed. She could not see his face. She wondered whether he was smiling.  _ Probably not. _ She thought, as a hint of a grin shaped her lips. There was something amusing about this whole situation. They were underwater, she was a princess, a random boy she met by chance was the reincarnated hero and she was wearing a dress. She pulled herself up, reaching for the Master Sword.

Her body felt heavy, like it was made of something different of whatever she is usually made out of.  _ You finally showed. _ She stepped forward.  _ And you look like shit.  _

His boots were a mess, full of holes and scratches, his tunic was staying together by some miracle and he was the definition of tiredness, only powered, probably, by the Goddesses’ strength.  _ Or something like that...How else would you still be standing? _ And she just waited, like an idiot. She has been waiting like an idiot for a month, in Hyrule Castle. 

“What foolishness...A future...for you?” Ganon scoffed, his back facing both Link and her. 

Sword in hand, she stopped besides Link. He had sunken eyes. “What are you laughing at, Ganondorf?” She spat. “You’re insane!” She forced herself to smile, looking at the boy next to her. “Link, I’m sorry!” 

He watched her as she moved the Master Sword onto his hands as gently as possible, letting her own linger between his palms. “I overslept and I think it’s time for us to say good-bye to this place!” She winked and he, if only for a moment, lit up, his lips taking the shape of a weak smile, opening as if to say something, only for nothing to come out. “We must return to the world above. Back to our ocean!” 

The rain was distracting. Painful and relentless, but it was welcomed all the same, as it painted itself red from their own blood, a cold bath to ease their struggle. She let go of the sword, closed her eyes, felt the water and fixed her gaze at Ganon. 

“Very well then...” Ganon’s arms rose. “Allow me to show you...” He breathed, looked up, closed his eyes and felt the water trickle from his brow to his chin. “Your future...” 

And then he held two swords, their movement cutting the air with a short whistle. “Yes, allow me to show you...” He looked straight ahead. “Just what hope you have...”

He was upon them, his swords clashing against Link’s, closing the distance between their faces as much as he could. “See how much your precious Triforce is worth.” He hissed with a teeth filled grin.

Link stood firm, his feet well planted, shifting his weight and sword to the right, just enough to have Ganon’s blades slide down the Master Sword’s length. Ganon moved again, raining a barrage of hits onto the boy, with the intent of, either disarming him, or cutting him down right then and there.

Tetra will always describe the feeling of suddenly having the Bow of Light in her left hand like the one you get when you find a 1000 rupees in an old pair of pants.  _ A gift from myself, to myself. _ And the feeling of launching an arrow from that bow, like the sun leaving your body, manifesting into a golden strike of magic. Although, she will never recount how their foe managed to avoid the first arrow she’d launched. Or the second one. Or the third one. 

While she had not managed to hit him, she’d at least kept him away from the hero, who was regaining his composure and redying himself to strike. She cocked another arrow, staying behind Link when he sprinted towards the giant, following him closely. A dance of steel and holy lights rose from each strike, as the metal sang within the pillar of water. She let another arrow fly. Not a hit, but it allowed Link to slash Ganon’s arm. 

Swords danced high from the top, parried by a shield. Another hit, a cut, a sideway jump, an arrow and a moment of pause. Link was panting and his arm was bleeding.  _ Was the hit to the shield that strong?!  _ Tetra thought, cocking another arrow. Then Ganon turned to her. 

Link stepped between the pirate girl and the demon, his sword cutting flesh. He yelled and swung at the boy once more, pushing him backwards, as she launched yet another arrow. It scrapped his cheek, and like a bolt of lightning, the light spread through his body, dropping him to his knees. Link attacked, closing their distance, aiming for the head, but metal sang once more. Ganon was ready to keep fighting, his lips curving upward. 

The boy rolled behind Ganon, rising with his sword, slashing at his back, and for a second, rain turned to blood. Tetra let another arrow loose, he stepped forward as the rod of gold barely missed his head. 

Blade against blade, the Master Sword was pushed against the hero’s shoulder, drawing blood; he grunted and the giant laughed. Another slash, another arrow, this time too fast to avoid, as it deepened within Ganon’s shoulder. Link dragged his sword across his chest, spreading skin open, followed by an exasperated growl. 

A second later, Link was on his back, water blinding him as a shallow stream of blood flowed from his lips. He tightened his jaw, shifting his weight, back on his feet once more. “Zelda!” Ganon roared, and another arrow whistled past his head. Tetra charged another shot, pointed and missed again. He was towering over Link.

The curved blade struck the hero’s shield, the force of the impact lifting him and crashing him across the platform. A pool of blood accumulated around him. “Watch, as I kill your hero...” He spoke, slowly marching as a stream of blood followed behind him. His sword stand was wide, relaxed, but focused. Tetra let another arrow fly. He tilted his head and she missed. 

_ How... _ She bit her lip, lowering her bow, finally coming to the realization that Link was not raising. The rain was distracting.  _ Link. _ He shifted his weight onto his right elbow. Then the left one. One leg at a time, he rose, face painted with blood, water and anguish. He reached for his shield, threatening to slip and fall again. He did not fall. It was heavy on his arm, but he held it high, along with the Master Sword. 

“Yes, stand proud, Hero of the Winds,” The demon spoke, eyes glimmering under the ocean light. He continued. “ With this sword, I’ll give you peace.” Ganon grinned, slightly wobbling as he approached the boy. 

Tetra swallowed and cocked another arrow. When Ganon stood before Link, she finally managed to appreciate how truly massive the bearer of the Triforce of Power is. She narrowed her sight and looked at the boy. He stared back, frowning. 

Her bow was high and ready, the sun between her fingers. “Link!” She called. He took a stance and stared back at Ganon. Her hand was burning, brightly shining, resonating with the other two entities of power. She pulled the arrow back, tilting her head. Ganon let his sword soar, ready to bring down murder, the Triforce of Power chiming in unison with the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage. 

And the sun flew. It flew across the rain, evaporating instantly as it made contact, a holy aura about it. And it hit its mark, the hero’s shield, who, with unspoken determination, redirected the golden rod onto their foe. It hit his belly.

Master Sword in hand, Link slashed at his knee, forcing him to kneel. And he knelt, bringing his blades before his face and chest with every ounce of strength he could muster. 

Link did not wait, letting go of his shield, propelling himself with the knee and shoulder of the demon, spinning in the air with the grace of the winds that filled the seas. Both hands on hilt, he brought down his weight with the power and courage of the chosen hero, stabbing Ganondorf’s forehead, with a scream and the sound of rain around them.

#

His body was aching. He felt as if there was more of his blood in the pools of water around him than in his own body. Now, his own blood was on the skin of his enemy, mixing with the crimson red flowing from his forehead. Ganon laughed. 

“The wind...”He stared at Link, an ocean of emotions in his eyes. “...It is blowing.” And then, he was gone, turned to stone, maybe dead, maybe sealed. Either way, he was no more.

He fell, finally giving way to his exhaustion, but he did not hit the ground. Tetra held him by the shoulder firmly. She was there and the demon was gone. 

“We did it.” He breathed. She bit her lip and brought him closer to her, setting his right arm around her shoulder.

The King of Red Lions approached them. “My children...listen to me.” And it took all he could to face him, to be able to support the weight of his own head. His ears were ringing. 

“I have lived regretting the past. And I have faced those regrets.” He knelt in front of the two heroes. “If only I could do things over again...” The king paused. “Not a day in my life has gone by without my thoughts turning to my kingdom of old.” He reached for the boy, but ultimately, he gave up halfway through. “I have lived bound to Hyrule.”

The King stared at the statue that was their fallen foe. “In that sense, I was the same as Ganondorf. But you,” his gaze softened, directed at the two panting teens. “I want you to live for the future. There may be nothing left for you...” He closed his eyes and his lips shifted upwards slightly. “But despite that, you must look forward and walk a path of hope, trusting that it will sustain you when the darkness comes.” 

Thunder filled the tower of water, replacing the silence that stood between the three. “Farewell...This is the only world that your ancestors were able to leave you.” 

Link twitched slightly.  _ Farewell? _

And then he saw. The King was crying. Silently, lonely and painfully, as he has done for many years. “Please...Forgive us.” 

“W-wait.” Tetra spoke, lowering her back slowly, tightening her grip on Link’s arm. “You could...” Link saw her swallow. “You could come with us.” She leaned forward, careful not to hurt the boy. “Yes, of course! We have a ship. We can find it. We will find it!” She bit her lip. “The next Hyrule!”

And he smiled, tender and simple. And it broke Link’s heart. And he remembered. He reminisced. “King...” He let out, his chest burning. 

“Ah, but child, that land will not be Hyrule.” His smile grew, feigning joy, hiding sorrow. “That will be YOUR land!” 

And then the sky came crashing. Waves of the ocean slowly surrounding them. Tetra held Link close, waiting to be swallowed. But they weren’t, as a thin shield of air covered their bodies. 

When he saw Tetra above him, he wondered how the water could be so welcoming, despite all they have done. When he saw the King, he reached out.  _ Please.  _ He thought, fighting the force that was pushing him to the surface. But he was weak, and it hurt. He reached nonetheless. The King reached too. 

Their hands never met and the King disappeared in the blue and calm of the waves.

#

Komali was the first he saw, smiling and flying above the sea. Then Tetra, who held him close. “Bring the ship closer!” She ordered, a slap to his throbbing head. 

The world was blurry, though he heard the voice of Aryll and Gonzo. Niko as well. They were on a small plank, slowly being raised to the deck of the ship. 

His blood accumulated under his legs and Tetra didn’t let go. “We are here, Link. Your sister is here too.” 

A small body coiled around him, maybe Aryll, she was crying. People were speaking and someone was apologizing. Tetra said something, someone answered and someone else spoke. Tetra moved towards her cabin, limping. The crew saluted their captain and she said something, though Link could not make it out. 

Before he lost consciousness, he heard Tetra. “Link. Thank you.” He grinned weakly and let his tiredness win.

#

_ At least it looks cool. I look tougher now.  _ Tetra observed, lightly touching the redden, scarred skin on her shoulder.  _ Although, it hurts like a bitch. _ It really did.

Her hand kept on exploring her exposed flesh after she had dressed up, having become a habit for the past few days to see how much her newly acquired injuries would look in her usual outfit. Every morning, at dawn, she would wake up, changing from her small clothes to her ever so comfortable white knee length shorts, purple shoulderless top and neck bandana. She opted not to wear the sleeveless blue shirt, as waves of heat were becoming a problem as of late. 

Her hair was fashioned with small pins that were neatly hidden in her yellow curl, that, with careful maneuvering, could be turned into her signature hairstyle. She checked herself in the mirror. She still looked tired. Her scars were still healing. Everything still hurts. Especially the large gash that extended from her hip to slightly above her knee. Her limping was starting to distract her crew, and that bothered her a lot, since they would focus on her and NOT on working.

She sighed, averting her eyes from her legs to her arms and hands. While they remained mostly the same, with a few scratches here and there, a significantly large remainder of their battle under the ocean still lingered. The symbol of the Triforce of Wisdom was forever scared, burned, on the back of her right hand. It looked hideous. Because of all this, she also lost her mother’s necklaces. 

Her walk onto the main deck was pleasant enough, as all her crew mates seemed to be busy with something. Gonzo was on the wheel, Zuko onto the main mast, high on the crow’s nest, doing gods knows what, and Mako was taking notes of the inventory on deck.

Nudge was carrying a crate of, what sounded like, bottles, while humming to himself “Lift with your knees”, alternating between a higher and lower pitch. She smiled at that. She missed her crew.

Senza was standing onto the fore-deck, apparently looking out for Niko, who decided it was a good idea to stand on the bowsprit.  _ Ugh.  _ She thought, limping in the direction of her underlings.

“What, pray tell, are you doing?” She called, getting both Senza and Niko’s attention, which made the latter suddenly turn, attentive enough not to fall in the water. “I was looking out f-for sea monsters.”  _ UGH.  _ She rubbed the bridge of her nose. 

“Why?” Tetra asked. 

“In case they would attack us. Our beloved cap’ain is injured, so we need to protect her.” Niko replied, looking down at his feet. 

“You don’t say...” Tetra narrowed her eyes, burning a hole in Niko’s head with her stare. “I actually recall asking you,” She pointed at Niko. “And you,” She pointed at Senza. “To clean the fucking floor!” 

“B-but, Miss Tetra, Niko was-”

“Lazing around and, since you have a soft spot for him, you came here in case he fell, right?” 

Senza nodded. “Tell you what, I appreciate that you care about your crew mate,” She really did. “But the next time he is doing fuck all, you tell him to start working! Understood?!” They both straightened as her voice rose. 

“Yes, miss Tetra!” They sang in unison, moving, almost running, away from the pirate girl.

“Senza!” He stopped.

“Where’s Aryll?” She asked, limping as she approached. “In Link’s cabin, Miss Tetra.” Of course she is, where else would she be?

“Alright...How is he?” She strode forward, heading to the upper deck. “He is doing better, Miss Tetra. Still sleeping.”  _ Good. _ She let some air out of her nose. 

She nodded. "Go back to work. And make sure Niko does as well.” And with that she headed into the ballast, within the candle lit chambers in the ship.

Smells of old wood filled the air, a salty tinge to her surroundings, that felt so familiar to her. It was nice being home. With her boys. With her family. And now, she had to reunite another family. She smirked as she descended further down the staircase.  _ This is the nicest thing I’ve ever done. You’ve really grown, Tetra.  _ She complimented herself, patting her own shoulder. 

And then she saw it again. The Triforce, forged into her hand, forever here. She thought of Link, and how soon, he’ll leave. She swallowed.  _ Well, he is not a pirate.  _ The door she was searching for was in front of her.  _ It’s for the best.  _ She bit her lip, her gaze darkening, focusing on the polished doorknob in front of her.  _ And he’ll heal. And he’ll grow up as a normal boy.  _ She pushed the door open.  _ And he’ll be happy. _

#

She looked exactly like him, but like a girl. Her hair, her eyes. Even when worried, Tetra felt like she was staring at Link, instead of his little sister.

The room was plain, with a desk and two chairs, covered in used bandages and plates of half eaten meals, drinks and an apple. Or a pear. It was a weird fruit with a face. 

Link was under a few blankets, a little sweaty, but content nonetheless. He was practically covered in bandages; some were bloodied, others were clean. It seems Senza has been changing them regularly. She recalled Senza mentioning how his shoulder would regularly open, demanding more attention than any other wound. 

Link did not seem to mind, his light snore soothing any worries that Aryll had at the beginning of their journey back. She has not left his side. Not once. She seemed as tired as Tetra felt. 

“Hey shrimp, how is he?” Tetra asked, pulling a chair and sitting next to the little girl.

“He’s still sleeping...” She frowned, her voice low and high pitched. “ He woke for a few minutes yesterday to eat. Then he went back to bed, like these past four days.” 

Tetra tightened her lips. “I remember, I was here yesterday. He was tired then. He must be tired now. But he’s only sleeping. He looks like he has mastered the art of sleeping.” 

Aryll grinned at that. “He does sleep a lot.” 

Tetra closed their distance. “Have  _ you _ been sleeping?” Aryll shook her head. “Wanna go rest for a while?” She had to make her rest. Tetra noticed how her eyelids were fighting the urge to close down. “But he’ll be alone...” 

“I’ll stay here. He’ll be safe. I promise.” She winked at her. “Do you trust me?” Aryll nodded. “Do you know where my cabin is? You know, the big cabin? Go there and if someone tells you to stop, tell them Miss Tetra sent you, okay?” 

Aryll hesitated for a moment. She looked at the pirate, then to her brother. She kissed him on the cheek and waved Tetra goodbye before leaving.

Tetra smiled. She looked at Link, as her lips slowly turned downwards.  _ What are you dreaming of, uh? Link?  _ She studied him closely. She has seen him many times throughout the last year, sneaking and fighting to get his sister back. She was kind of proud to have helped him.  _ And the first time I help someone, I find out I’m a princess and get kidnapped by an ancient magician. I’ll never help anyone again. Ever.  _ She opened her mouth. “But you would probably disagree with that notion, wouldn’t you?” 

His scars looked deep. A tiny one under his chin and a few others on his neck. She wondered how he got those. Maybe someone tried to cut it. She set a hand on her own throat. Her eyes moved down his body, as it slowly rose and fell. His right hand was also full of scratches and marks. They looked callous and hard. She bit her lip. 

She reached for his left hand and frowned. The Triforce of Courage was burned on his hand too. Her thumb lightly traced the small triangles that formed the symbol of the old Realm. She tightened her grip.

“When I was little, my mother used to recount several legends from the past...” She paused. “Well, I guess, they’re just stories now.” 

“The legends...Stories were always about a princess and a hero. It told their epic tales of hardship and friendship, along with some bitterness thrown in the mix to add some spice to the narrative or some shit.” She bit her tongue. “They were quite good.” She stared at his resting face. “Do you wanna know how they always ended?” For some reason, she waited for a response. She cursed and continued.

“The hero and the princess almost always went their separate ways. He left for an adventure, or something, and she ruled...” 

She sighed, staring at the face of the sleeping boy.“I wonder what you’re going to do now, Link.” She held his left hand tighter and glared at her own Triforce scar. 


	2. Recovery

Tetra was the second one to touch the wooden floor of the port in Outset Island, making sure that the bridge used to descend the ship was secure enough, since Niko had insisted in setting it up himself. And for some reason, she consented. Nonetheless, as she limped across, she felt a tinge pride for her underling, not having her fall into water is a little bit of an accomplishment for him. 

Niko had decided early on that he was going to help Link get to his house along with Aryll; Tetra would have to wait for them to get down, say her goodbyes and leave.  _ And then back to pirating. _ She mused, ignoring the little knot that formed in her throat, swallowing it. 

“How much more time will this take?” She called, tapping her foot up and down, but no answer came. The islanders were approaching. She huffed. “Link, do you need help?”

“Coooooming!” Aryll yelled back with her brother perched on her shoulder on one side, while Niko held Link’s other arm. 

Link smiled when he saw her.“Sorry to’ve kept you waiting. I couldn’t find my hat.” 

She moved her head in understanding and turned her attention to the little mob of people that were gathering by the beach. None came close, and, as her crewmates left the ship, a few of them even stepped backwards.  _ Good, our reputation still stands.  _ She waved and winked at them.

The injured boy and his sister passed her by, grinning at her as he did, just a few meters from the beach now. He seemed better.  _ His 4 day beauty sleep must’ve helped.  _

“Link! Aryll!” Cried a man that held a pig up to his chest. Though he did not get close, he jumped around in anticipation, like a kid on his birthday. Tetra notices that he was not the only one that was trembling with excitement, as an uproar of screams of joy rose high and mighty. She was a little impressed, to be honest. A few adults and kids are able to make such a ruckus all on their own. And all of this because of the hero’s return. She grinned.

Truthfully, if the woman that stood in the middle of the group of islanders hadn’t moved as Link and Aryll approached her, Tetra would have believed she was made out of stone. A tiny, frail old lady, that was a few fingers shorter than Aryll. And while she never thought of herself being overly sentimental, the way the three embraced must have done something to her, forcing her to let out the air she did not know she was holding in. She bit her lip.  _ Their dumb happiness is contagious.  _ She inhaled.

She was going to let them greet each other, just for a few minutes, then she would get close, on her own, of course. She would say her goodbyes, hug Aryll, shake hands with Link and leave.  _ Never to see you again... _ She exhaled.  _ Fuck. _

“Erm...excuse me, Mrs. Link’s Grandma.” She inched closer to the reunited family. “I just wanted to say my goodbyes.” She stared at Link and Aryll, who were now facing her. “Thanks for everything. I-” 

“Who are you, young Lady?” Link’s grandma butt in, narrowing her eyes, trying to get a better view of the pirate girl. “She’s Tetra, Grandma. I was just talking about her. The guys near the port are her crew.” Link answered with a tired stare.

“Oh! She’s the nice young lady that saved you!” She turned to Tetra. “Thank you very much, Miss Pirate.” 

“You’re welc-”

“Say, you have been limping, have you not? Are you injured?”

“I’m f-”

“Come with me, the least I can do is help the sweet young girl that helped Link and Aryll come back home.”

Tetra’s eyes were wide. She eyed Niko, who in turn eyed her; the crowd was staring. Link and Aryll were giggling.  _ Ugh.  _ She opened her mouth to speak, but the old woman shushed her. 

“It is quite rude to refuse an old lady, whatever the request. Imagine if I were to die today? How guilty would you feel?” 

_ You crafty old lady... _ Her lips shifted upwards. She stepped forwards and shued Niko back to the ship, as she expected to leave soon anyways, no point in him staying here. “Alright, I’m coming.”

The crowd did not move, instead, they stood there, waiting for the pirates’ next move. The woman in purple, with the jar next to her, gasped when she grabbed Link’s arm and set it around her shoulders, allowing him to shift his weight onto hers. 

Link smirked. “Don’t feel too bad, she always plays dirty.” 

#

His bed was a blessing. He was laying on the back of a giant sheep and nobody could tell him otherwise. Home was irreplaceable. 

The smells that filled the room with onion and northern spices, the little chair in front of the fireplace where a forever-cooking broth was brewing, the wooden ceiling that was stained by the vapors from the room and the rain from the outside. It was home. He was home. Tetra was also in his home. 

And he sat back up from his bed. He was nervous.  _ Why am I nervous? _

Because of Tetra.  __

In his mind, Link has always guessed that Tetra has visited countless islands, with a myriad of houses, shops, pubs and all were probably better than his dinky home.  _ Well, I mean, nobody from outside the island has never entered the house before.  _ He reasoned.

“This place is cozy. I like it.” Tetra proclaimed, watching as Aryll climbed onto the second bed.

“And I’m guessing this is your bed?” She eyed him, maybe trying to make small talk? Link could not tell. “Yeah, no, the one on top is my bed. Actually, could you help me up?”

“How in the hell am I supposed to carry you-” He was smiling. “Hey, don’t be smartass with me, I’ll kick you butt.” She grinned. 

He shrugged. “Being a smartass is not so bad.” She raised an eyebrow. “It implies that I’m smart.” 

“It also implies that you’re an ass.” she said, letting a short laugh out. “Also, I-”

“Miss Pirate Tetra, sweety, could you come up the ladder, please? I have a lotion that will make that limpy leg disappear in an instant. I use it myself, for my back and legs” 

“Grandma, too much information, keep it to the essentials, please.” Link spoke up, as he eyed Tetra.

“Linky usually applies it to me.” And his hands were on his face, hoping against hope that the Goddesses would strike him down right then and there. He heard both his sister and Tetra laugh, but when he looked up, Tetra had already started ascending the ladder.

He laid down again.  _ I have to get better. Soon.  _ His shoulder was easing up, and honestly, he felt the carrying of his weight on other people’s shoulders was an exaggeration.  _ But Aryll was worried I would fall flat on my face. _

He wondered how his grandma felt with Aryll and him being away. He felt guilty. He often thought of her, but rarely sent any letters. He used to tell himself he did not have time, but really, everytime he tried to write one, he always had a lot of problems writing an ending. The few he did send talked about his adventures, about the new people he’d met, the monsters he’d fought and at the end of them all, he always mentioned Aryll. How she was still trapped in the Fortress. How he was making his way towards it. How he felt powerless.

Soon he stopped writing. He told himself he had to focus and that feelings of guilt will not help him in his quest.  _ She must have felt so alone. _

“I’m sorry Grandma.” A whisper grew from his lips. 

He pulled himself up again, shifting his weight from one leg to the other, slightly skipping left to right. His shoulder burned. His legs were better. His right arm was ok. He sighed and looked at Aryll. She was playing with her pigtails. He swallowed.

“I don’t know what your Grandma’s lotion is made of, but damn. It works incredibly well.” Tetra announced, stepping off the ladder. She made her way to the door. “It’s as if my limping is gone.”

“I’m glad Tetra.” He stared at his feet.  _ I guess she’ll leave now... _

Tetra stood still, studying Link’s face, shifting her eyes left and right, as if she was searching for something, and then turned to him, having found nothing. “So.” She finally spoke. “I guess I’ll leave.” 

“Yep.”

“Mmmmh.”

His shoulder was aching. “Thank you for taking care of Aryll...and me.” 

“Thank you for saving me, Mr Hero.” She winked and a smile spread on his lips. “I guess I’ll be seeing you.”

“Yeah. I guess.” 

She hesitated. She got close to the door and hesitated.  _ Say something. _ But he said nothing and she left. 

“Where’s Tetra?” Aryll asked, finally jumping down from the bunk bed. 

“She left.” He said, somewhat rudely. He cursed himself.  _ Calm down.  _

“What? She didn’t even say bye to me! She-” And a scream, no, a screech echoed from outside. 

Both Aryll and Link, followed by their Grandma, stepped through the door. 

#

“What are you doing off the ship?! Why are you carrying tables?!” Tetra demanded while her crew stared at her with perplexed curiosity. 

“What do you mean, Miss Tetra?” asked Nudge while holding a barred full of liquid on his right shoulder. “We were told that we needed to help for the feast for tonight.”

Her eyes narrowed and her crew tensed up. “Who told you that?” They stared at each other, then they stared at Niko. Of course it was him. 

“M-miss T-Tetra, allow me to say that you look especially healthy today, like a limpless pirate cap’tain. I’m glad you-” 

“Shut up. Why’d you lie?” Her voice was full of authority. 

Niko gulped, small tears forming under his eyes. “Because I’m hungry!” He cried, dropping the chair he was carrying to the floor.  _ There goes the pride I felt. Right into the privy. _

“We haven’t got a decent meal since we picked you up! I’m tired of fish and potatoes! They have pigs in here! And they thought we were already joining the feast, so I reasoned that maybe-”

“Shut up.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. The islanders were staring. She turned to examine her surroundings. Her crew were all scattered around the little island, as most of them were helping with tables, chairs, cooking irons and more general festive equipment. She turned to see Link along with his sister and Grandma. And he was wearing that stupid smile he always wore when he looks at her. She took a moment to calm down.

“Should we tell the others that we’re leaving?” Nudge questioned, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

“No,” She paused. “But we leave tomorrow.” Niko smiled, and she glared. Niko hurried somewhere else. 

The next few hours, to Tetra’s own admittance, were fun. It had been a while since she participated in a feast that was not exclusive to her crew, and as the sun started to set, the cool air was more and more welcoming. Though she would rather be found dead, than to admit that she was glad they stayed, her jolliness did betray her more than a few times. Moreover, the fact that Link was always next to her, either explaining why they called the rock that looked like a face the Face Rock, or how the giant pig that they were about to eat got the name Link, only contributed to the perpetual grin on her lips. 

She sat between Senza and Mako, while Link sat between his sister and Grandma. The crew was sprinkled around the large, rectangular table, with Niko sitting next to a man named Sturgeon, bragging about his pirate adventures and expeditions. The man only nodded. 

Gonzo was spending his time flirting with the jar girl, Sue Belle, having opted to dine without a shirt for the night. Tetra gagged in disgust. She hated when any of her underlings walked around the ship without a full set of clothes, but since they were not on the ship, Gonzo felt justified to do as he pleased.  _ Whatever, let them have their fun.  _

Zuko and Senza had decided to help out with the cooking, having used some of the spices in the ship. Tetra had been pretty upset at that, since those spices were kind of expensive and hard to get, having been bought (stolen) from the rich guy in the resort island. Once more, she opted to let them have their fun. She was alive thanks to them and she had missed them; reprimands are off the table for today.  _ Tomorrow is going to be a different story, though.  _

The roasted pig named Link arrived on a silver platter, literally, golden and cooked to, what seemed, perfection. The smells danced easily from nose to nose, revealing how truly famished Tetra had been. 

Link frowned at the cutting process of the meat, touching his body according to where the animal was being sliced, drawing a laugh from everyone. Tetra rushed a cup to her lips, admiring how the night wind would caress the hero’s hair. She caught herself staring, cursed and turned to Senza, who was discussing some nonsense with a man named Abe. Half an hour later she was staring at the boy with dirty blond hair once more. She wondered what kind of light better shone against his pale skin. Torchlight or moonlight?  _ Stop it, you dumbass. _ She turned to Mako this time. He was having a very intense discussion with a kid. 

She rolled her eyes and resumed eating.

The night raged on as dances started, and although she refused every single dance her crew offered her, and a few from two islander that, she thinks, are called Meso and Orc, she quite enjoyed watching everyone be relaxed for once. Gonzo had disappeared with Sue Belle. Mako was dancing with the kids and their mother, Rose. Nudge was arm wrestling with Orc. And the others were dancing. She was content. 

“Hey.” Link sat next to her. “Pretty fun, isn’t it?”

Tetra shrugged. “I’ve been to better parties.” She lied. 

“Not up to your standards, uh?” He smirked, elbowing her arm. “Whatever, Mr Hero of Winds. Your power is having the wind blow really hard.”

Link laughed, inching forward, his stare still on the dance. “Why are you not dancing?” 

“I don’t like dancing. Besides, even if I did, nobody worth dancing with has asked me.” 

Link smiled. “Were you waiting for me to ask you?” 

_ Was I? _ She turned away, letting the heat of the torch next to her mask away the hotness growing on her cheeks. She eyed him, finding him still staring.

“Well, I can’t dance. My legs are still a little numb. And you don’t like dancing. So no dancing.” 

She exhaled hard. Hard enough to start coughing a little. She was annoyed. Why? She did not know. 

“Well, at least that stomach of yours is not numb. You ate like a pig.” Tetra said, biting her tongue, wishing she hadn’t just said that. 

Link stared at her.  _ Why did you say that? Gods Damnit!  _ She thought. Was she more than just annoyed?  _ Fuck. _

“I mean, the poor guy was named Link, the least I could do was eating him as much as possible, you know, to make it worth it.” He grinned at her and she blinked. 

She hated that stupid smiled, always full of optimism. “You really are a weird man.” She let her weight rest on the back of her hand. His eyes shone.

The night flowed away as they spoke. When she laughed, he beamed. When he teased her, she teased him back, and no conversation felt like a waste, as no topic was too out there. Not for them. At one moment, she was an expert in Moblin anatomy and he was a skilled surgeon, and the next she gained a basic understanding on how Pictographs worked. He learned how to gut a fish with a single knife cut and she learned that Grandma’s soup was made with spices from an unknown, distant land. And when she let her head fall backwards, admiring the stars and calm, he did the same. She turned her head and the profile of his face was perfection. 

Marvelously, the night kept on flowing as they spoke away until words became meaningless, occasionally frowning, knowing she’ll leave him behind the day after.

#

“What do you mean we can’t leave yet?” Tetra asked Nudge, who was trying, and failing, to walk in a straight line for more than two meters. “Gonzo hasn’t come back yet and-” His cheeks puffed up and turned green. She glared at him. He swallowed it back down. 

“Gross.” She announced, not only in regards to Nudge's early morning meal, but at every single one of the men on the ship (and off the ship) that could not depart due to their drunkenness.

She left them to their devices, hoping that in a few hours they would be fine enough to leave. 

The port was a mess. Tables were turned, chairs half buried in the sand and several bottles of buzz were scattered around her. The chairs Link and her sat on all night long were very warm, probably because of the sun. She exhaled and turned her eyes towards Link’s house.  _ It’s too early, he’s probably asleep.  _ She reasoned, walking away from the ruins of the feast. 

Outset Island was a beautiful little piece of land. The people were very amicable, which really surprised her, as they were scared senseless of them when they first moored their ship. 

The trees on top of the hill looked as lively as when she fell onto them, luscious green with varying shades of blue. 

She tried to think on how she would be leaving when her men were ready. Would she announce it, letting the islanders gather? Maybe they would hug and tell each other how good it was to have met and they would wish her many adventures and treasures and-  _ Blah blah blah.  _ Tetra thought.  _ Goodbyes are obnoxious to think about.  _

Would she leave without saying her goodbyes to Aryll? Grandma? ...Or Link? 

She reached for the ladder that led to the lookout and started climbing.  _ How about we leave before everyone wakes? That would be quite dramatic.  _ She was halfway through the ladder.  _ I can only imagine what everyone would be thinking, on how the lovable pirates went and left a hole in everyone's heart.  _ She felt her arms and legs tense up, as her injuries were still healing.  _ I wonder what would Link think... _ She forced a smile.  _ If I just left without a word. _

“Oh, hey, it’s you.” said Link, who was sitting down, legs hanging from the lookout, arms resting on the wooden railing.  _ Of course he’s here. _

Tetra walked up to him, noticing the long sleeved, blue t-shirt he was wearing . “What in the hell are you doing awake this early on?”

“Fishing.” he answered nonchalantly, his eyelids half closed, as if he was about to fall asleep at any moment.

Tetra sat next to him crossed legged, never looking away. “From up here? Very counterproductive, Mr Hero.” 

He chuckled. “T’was ten minutes ago, I’m resting. I was fishing by the port and brought the fish home.” 

“Okay, now the next part of my question, why so early?” 

“Have you ever heard of the saying about an early bird?”

“Yeah, but I’ve never heard the early INJURED bird.” Tetra emphasized the ‘injured’ part. 

Link shrugged, straightening his back. “I feel fine. I had to get some fish. The island’s-” He yawned. “-almost out of food.” 

Tetra was a little taken aback. “The island? What are you talking about? There was plenty of food yesterday.” Link smacked his lips. “Yeah, but we ate it. You can’t eat food you already ate, Tetra.” 

Her name sounded especially good coming from him. “You know what I mean, dumbass.” She lightly pinched his shoulder and he laughed. 

“We can’t really grow many crops here. The terrain is too rocky. Roots can’t get deep enough. And the only space that is available for planting is full of trees on top of a hill.” He let out some air from his nose. “Too many old people to do such a draining job.” 

_ Gods Dammit.  _ She felt guilty. About the mess her crew made, about the food she ate and a bunch of stuff. “So, why waste it like that?”

“We had fun yesterday, did we not? It was not a waste.” He retorted with that stupid smile of his.

She bit her lip, trying to hide how much of an effect seeing him had on her. “I guess so, it was pretty fun.”

Silence fell between them, for two or three minutes, and Tetra wondered what she could say, how she could help, while Link contemplated on something. 

Then he spoke. “I want to find the new land the King spoke about back in Hyrule.”

She was mute and he continued. “I want a place where food is not scarce or land limited. I want my sister to be able to live without worrying whether or not she’ll be able to eat the day after.” He turned his gaze in the direction of the small village. “I want Rose’s kids to grow up in a place where their options are not limited by the place they were born in. I think that’s what the land the King spoke about is like.” 

She moved closer to him, resting her hand onto the railing. “Fuck man. I feel embarrassed.” She let out and he turned, a hint of a grin on his face.

“I won’t lie to you. I have been thinking of searching it myself...but, like, for treasures and shit.” She was not meeting his eyes.

“Hey, treasure is good. My reasoning is just a roundabout way to say that I want that treasure for the people I care about.” 

_ He’s always been like this.  _ Tetra thought. “It would be a nice adventure.” 

“The discovery of some new land.” He said.

“And yeah, if it’s good, Aryll and your grandma could very well live there. Heck, we’d be rich!” 

“And we would get to see more of the sea.”

“And more of the world.”

“And with the Wind Waker, it would be so easier to navigate!” He announced, letting his arms rise.

She followed his arms with her eyes and laughed. “The Hero’s power, finally having a purpose.”

“Whatever,  _ princess _ , I assure you they have been more than...” Link’s voice quieted down, noticing how Tetra was not laughing anymore.”...Tetra?” 

She bit her lip and narrowed her eyes,while he inched closer, trying to get a better look of her face. “Are you alright?”

“Link, when I was trapped in that shithole named Hyrule Castle,” she paused, thinking. “I had to eat rats.”

“Imagine that, leaving a person trapped in a damn cave for a month with no way out, telling them to just wait. Fuck him.” 

Link let the silence linger before speaking. “Tetra...I’m sor-”

“And then he had the audacity to tell us to ‘find the new land’!” She turned to Link. “I know it’s not your fault that guy was such a fucking asshole, but fuck him. Fuck. Him.” She dropped to the floor, bringing her hands to her face. “I...”

She filled her lungs with air, trying to somehow calm her heart, that threatened to escape from her mouth. She choked on her own frustration. “...I don’t want to be a  _ princess _ . I’m a fucking pirate, damn it. I’ve always been a pirate.”

Not a sound came from the two for what felt like an eternity. When Tetra finally parted her hands to see what the boy was doing, she found him looking at her, frowning.  _ Fuck. I shat on the boat man. The guy that helped him for the last year.  _ Nevertheless, she felt a tinge of anger arise from her chest. It was her choice, hers alone. 

He finally spoke. “Tetra, during my journey in the Great Sea I saw many wonderful and awful things. Every moment of happiness I had, every blood pumping occasion and all the people I’ve met, it’s thanks to the King.” He swallowed. “But also every injury I suffered. Every lonely night in a dungeon. Every bad thing I had to do was because of whatever magic from the Goddesses that I did not know anything about. I get it. I have...had my reservations when it came to my relationship with him.” He painted his face in tired melancholy. 

“No princess business, that’s fair. No supposed duty you have to comply with. I would not dream of forcing anything upon you.” 

Her mind was racing. She felt that weird feeling you get when you jump from real high. The one in the stomach that she did not know how to describe and- “...Although,” Her eyes were wide and she slightly seated, fearing what he would say next.  _ If he says that it’s my responsibility or that I owe it to the people of Hy- _

“I do think you swear too much.” 

“What?” 

“Yeah, like, just a little.” 

“Out of everything I said, that’s the only thing you don’t agree with?” She rested her weight on her elbows.

Link never looked away, fixated in her eyes. “Pretty much.” His innocence broke her. It fucking hurt how cute it was.

She opened her mouth, trying to process what he’d just said, but after only a few seconds, she howled in laughter. “Link! I’m a pirate! Of course I swear! If you were to live with pirates, you’d have to speak like me!” 

The hero laughed alongside the young princess, before standing and moving towards the ladder. “Yeah, if I were to live with pirates...” 

Tetra did not stand up, shifting her head wherever he moved. “Link.” He stopped. “Thanks.” He smiled and descended the ladder. She bit her lip, feeling the same knot she felt before in her throat.

#

Tetra returned to her ship a few hours later, as all of her crew members had returned as well. She had spent her morning wandering the island, secretly searching for Link, although she could not find him. She reasoned that he went back home.  _ Maybe I should have told him to come. _

“Gonzo! Where the hell have you been?” Tetra demanded, forcing the man to straighten his back. “Well, Sue Belle and I-”

“Shut up, I don’t care. Everyone listened up!” She called to no one in particular and at the same time, to everyone. “We’ll help clean the island. We’ll leave when it's done!” 

An unison groan of disapproval grew from the deck of her ship. “Oh, shut up you idiots. You pretend to eat and enjoy the spoils without having to lift a single finger? Move!” And everyone listened, gathering with the islanders to clear the mess as much as they could. Link was nowhere to be found. The knot pressed against the back of her throat again.

Night time came and the beach in front of the port was immaculate. The crew, except for Gonzo of course, had returned to the ship, finally moving towards preparing for departure the next day. While they were invited to stay a bit longer, Tetra felt they had overstayed their welcome. Link never came.  _ I should go to his house. _ To say what, exactly? 

As she moved about her ship, yelling commands, she felt a little numb while doing so. And she knew her crew could tell, having told Mako and Senza that she was alright on more than one occasion and that they should get back to work.

Niko was sad, saying he’ll miss Link and Aryll. She ignored him and so did everyone else, although everyone kept silence after that. Until work stopped completely.

“Hey! Why did you stop working?” Tetra questioned,while her crew mates all looked at a single direction. She turned. Link was standing on deck, sword in hand, shield on his back along with a little pouch next to him. “I brought my own sword.” He said, panting.  _ He ran here. _

“Link, what are you doing here? Why did you bring that sword? Why- don’t tell me you want to come along?!” 

“Hey, I told you this in the morning, didn’t I? I want to find it. You want to find it. Let’s find it together.” And the perpetual knot melted away. Nevertheless, she had to stand her ground. 

“Link.” She stood right and eyed her crew. They were all smiling. She did all she could to keep a straight face. 

“Yes?” 

“This ship is mine.” She stepped forward. “Every command I make is absolute.” 

“Of course.” His lips curved upwards. She wanted to follow suit, but kept her cool. “ If I say jump, what do you say?”

Link stared down, thumb under his chin, thinking. He looked behind her and she turned to find Niko mouthing the answer. “I say how high, cap’tain!” And she chuckled.  _ Damn it! _

She snapped her fingers and Niko came running, broom in hand. She snatched it from him and handed it to Link. “Congratulations. Niko is officially your superior.” she smirked, turning her back towards the hero as her crewmates cheered. 

“Alright, everybody stop goofing off! We leave tomorrow!” She yelled, a grin too wide to hide. Her eyes met Link’s and she winked. 

They left two days later.


	3. Onwards

Niko shifted under his bedsheets, trying his best to fall asleep again, despite the excessive noise that came from the ship’s hallway. He turned to his side. _What time is it?_ He wondered, tirelessly peering outside from the porthole. The horizon of the sea was slowly changing; colors of morning overpowering colors of night.

The noise grew sharper and closer.

He lifted himself using his elbows, his head hanging, lacking the energy to stand straight on its own. He let his legs dangle from the side of his bed, eyeing the room, still in a post wakeup tranced. The room was the same he slept in the night before: humid and cramped, with a small cabinet for his clothes and barely enough space for his boots and weapons. Recently, it had become even smaller, as a new member had joined their crew.

Niko was elated at the prospect of having someone below him in terms of rank, especially if that someone was Link; they’ve been acquainted for over a year. He prides himself, both as mentor and friend, on being the one who’s taught him how to swing between ropes in a moving vessel. He thought of those moments fondly.

Looking down, Link seemed completely undisturbed by the ruckus around him.

He jumped down from the upper bed of their bunk bed, landing beside the sleeping boy, lightly shaking his shoulder before Miss Tetra could discover his insubordination, but got no answer. _Not again_ though the rookie pirate, reflecting on the last few mornings in which Link slept more than he should.

He tried him once more, this time with more vigor. Still, no answer. Decisive steps were approaching the door. Grabbing his shoulders, Niko fully intended to wake him, no matter what. Link’s head only hung back as a stream of saliva moved from his open mouth to his shoulder.

He snored.

When the door swung open, a cold shower of fear washed over Niko. She was staring at them.

He reasoned that maybe, if he did not move, she would not see them, or at least him. She saw them both.

“I guess you didn’t hear me, did you, green boy? WAKE UP!”

Link’s head straightened right away; his eyes still confused as to which direction they are supposed to be looking at. He blinked and faced Miss Tetra with a tired stare.

“You’re supposed to wake him up if he does not do it by himself! How many times are we going to repeat this routine?” Niko gulped. “Be ready in 5 or you’ll both be mopping the floor until I see myself reflected on it!”

She glared for a few moments, waiting.

“Yes, cap’tain!” Niko shouted out, hoping Link would follow suit. “Yes, Tetra.”

He did not follow suit.

Miss Tetra narrowed her eyes and slammed the door shut.

Niko turned to Link, noticing that he was already dressing up, donning a green undershirt and a set of new breeches, all accompanied by brown knee-high boots. He let his shoulder wound breath, slowly moving it in a circular motion and smiled in Niko’s direction. The older pirate sighed and, despite his usual annoyance at the boy during morning hours, Niko smiled back.

The two headed out as fast as possible, although Link was still a little impaired when it came to running. Niko often wondered what truly happened underneath the sea. He knew a fierce battle had occurred between Miss Tetra, Link and the man that commanded the Forsaken Fortress. He knew about some princess of legend business, but that was as far as both her captain and his new friend had wanted to recount.

He reached the deck before the supposed hero of legend. He was panting, although his smile was ever present.

Miss Tetra was eying him from the helm of the ship next to Gonzo, arms crossed over her chest.

He did his best to avoid his captain’s stare by studying Gonzo on the wheel.

Although they were friends, seeing Gonzo still made his heartbeat rise in slight panic. By the time he turned to face the younger girl, her gaze had softened significantly as she focused on Link, who had just regained his composure. 

Both Link and he would not be allowed to eat until morning activities were completed; a punishment for waking up last. And thus, the first task of the day, the removal of the surprising number of barnacles that had accumulated on the hull and side of the ship, had to be taken care of. While the ship kept on moving.

“But how are we supposed to do it while we move?” Link questioned, pulling a small piece of bread from under his shirt while facing Niko, his back pointing towards Miss Tetra.

Niko chewed, ignoring its staleness, being a little too hungry to care. The boy’s always ready when it came to hiding food, since he had learned his lesson: if he could not wake up early, he would have to sneak his way to eat.

“This is the way of a pirate!” Link had said on the third morning in a row of not being allowed to eat. Niko lips spread as he remembered.

“You hold the rope,” He swallowed quickly. “and I go down there with a knife to remove them.” Link nodded in agreement.

The rope went around a few railing balusters, turning and twisting in order to help Link into making as little effort as necessary. Niko was lowered slowly. Then he was in freefall, only to stop just as suddenly. “Sorry! My hand slipped! I got you!” Link called from deck. 

He swung back and forward due to the ship’s motion, only occasionally being able to scrape away a few barnacles. “Link! Pull me slightly upwards!”

“Yes sir!” Niko produced an embarrassingly high-pitched noise. _Nobody has ever called me sir!_

The swaying did not stop, but as time went on, he became more adept at hitting his targets, knocking them into the blue. At first, he counted 47, then there were 39. He kept on counting, charging towards his small targets. 30. 25.

“Sir? You call Niko sir and you can’t call me captain?” Miss Tetra spoke from the deck of the ship. Niko heard Link’s laughter. “I’ll make an effort, I promise.”

Silence followed by some snickering came from the ship and Niko swung back and forward still. 15. “Hurry up, you two. Food won’t stay hot forever.” And Miss Tetra was gone.

“Link, pull me up a little!”

The angle of his movement shrunk, allowing him to better aim for the few barnacles that still hugged the hull. 10. “Niko, there’s cheese and pottage for breakfast!” Link called.

Niko’s hunger grew tenfold, as he would finally be able to eat meat again, after almost a week. He figured Senza was in a good mood. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.

“Pull me up! Pull me up!” Niko roared and Link obliged. The two hurried themselves into untangling the pirate and ran towards the kitchen.

Niko showed Link how to make a bowline knot while they nibbled on cheese and spoonsful of meat, vegetables and bread.

#

Senza was frustrated with the young hero. It wasn’t that he didn’t know the theory of cooking. It was that he was terrible at cooking.

He had a good grasp on how to mince the meat and vegetables. For some reason, he also knew how to extract the pulp from crabs, but every time he touched the cooking pan, disaster always came.

Sometimes there was too much salt, other times, he forgot to use cooking oil on the pan, leaving half of the meal stuck onto the pan.

More often than not, the mishaps happened because he could not measure what needed to be added.

“I just don’t understand what you mean by a _feel_ of pepper!”

Senza massaged his temples. “A _feel_ is a _feel_ , boy.” He held a fist full of pepper. “You feel it! What does the dish say it needs?”

Link stared at the taller man, mouth open, exuding confusion. “A little bit of pepper?”

Senza made a noise with his throat.

“More than a bit?” Link tasted a slice of the chicken in front of him. “Maybe some garlic?”

Senza closed his eyes. “Feel, my boy. Feel.”

The dish was not good. None of the plates he had tried to make during the week and a half he has been aboard are any good. They were either burnt, too spicy, too salty, too peppery or tasteless. Senza frowned at his plate and gazed at the young wanna-be pirate.

He was smiling, hoping against hope that Senza might like what he tasted. _Oh, my poor boy._ He reflected, drawing a little smirk on his face. He appreciated his enthusiasm.

It had been Miss Tetra that commanded that every member of the crew had to know the basics of cooking. _If you ever end up stranded on an island, you should always be able to recognize what’s edible and how to eat it._ Senza recalled her saying. _She’s so wise for her age._

Link added a little more parsley; Senza looked on. He had told the older pirate that every night he would fish from his little boat, disemboweling the little animals, cooking them with torchlight. From his little boat. And when Senza asked how he’d would know whether the fish was poisonous or not, he mentioned how his boar would talk to him, warning him of dangerous species. He reasoned he must have been delusional during his lonesome voyage, as well as extremely lucky.

The young hero brought a spoonful to his mouth. Rapidly, his face curled in disgust, forcing himself to swallow. The taller man felt a mocking laughter behind him.

“Gonzo, stop stealing apples. They’re hard to get in these parts.” Gonzo bit into one. “They come from trees,yeah?”

Senza crossed his arms, lifting his chin up. “Get out of my kitchen and don’t steal my food. Also, tell Mako that next time he takes my grapes, he’ll kiss the knuckles.”

Gonzo nodded and exited the kitchen smiling while catching a small glimpse of Link as he did.

When he turned back to the boy, the entirety of the cooking space was freed and cleaned, furnished again by fresh ingredients. “Let me try again!” Link demanded, his eyes shining with determination. He grinned and dictated the recipe for a new dish.

“Slice the pork.”

“Slice the pork.” Link repeated.

“Let it sizzle to brown it, after pouring enough oil. Keep it far from the fire. Slow cooking.” He explained, letting the odors in the air guide him on what to do next.

A pinch of salt, pepper and dried coriander. A flip and a slice of butter. Link smelled his surroundings. He looked around and Senza moved out of the way, curious as to what he was searching for. He held a bottle of rum. He gagged at the removal of the cap and Senza let a chuckle fly. Alcohol turned to vapor with a fragrance of spices and meat around the room.

Someone slipped into the kitchen again. He lunged at them, taking a hold of their arm. “You fucking ass, I said no stealing in my kitch-”

“What do you mean by _my kitchen_ , Senza?” Miss Tetra asked, apple in one hand, while letting her other stay in his grasp, waiting to see how much time he _dared_ keep his hold. He let go immediately, his speech suddenly becoming an incoherent babble.

“M-miss Tetra, if I’d have known it was you, I would have never-”

“Yes, but it _was_ me. But please, do tell me, whose kitchen is it, again?” She stared right into his soul. He tried to keep his voice calm as he spoke, feigning calmness, although his paleness betrayed him. “Yours, Miss Tetra.”

“Wrong,” His heart dropped. “It’s the crew’s, we all own this ship. And while I agree that constantly stealing food from supplies will do us no good, no threats. At least not too many. Understood?” She bit her apple.

Senza nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes, Miss Tetra.”

Tetra winked at the older man and turned to the boy.

“Is your cooking still crap?” She smirked, setting the apple aside. “He’s still learning, Miss Tetra.”

Link allowed his eyes to look away from the pan, signaling the young pirate captain to have a taste. She bit her lip.

“If this is not good, it’s is your fault Senza.” And she chewed down a small slice of pork.

Senza was feeling a little heaviness in his chest. Is it any good? Probably not, he’s still a work in progress and-

“It’s good. You’re learning, mr Hero.” She winked and walked off. Link was beaming, as if he’d just won a challenge only, he’d known about. 

Senza took a bit as well, before Link could even speak.

It was soft, tender, while still juicy, rich with the aromas of the rum. “Not bad, kid.”

#

Nudge sat next to Miss Tetra while she examined her maps. “It’s supposed to be far. Of course, we still do not know where to go, but this expedition for the new land will require quite the capital.”

The younger pirate let her face rest on her fist and continued. “There are very few pirate friendly islands in the Great Sea. We’ll assess whatever it is we need to do later, with Mako present.”

Nudge shifted on his sit, waiting for permission to leave, knowing full well that further talk about their expenses would bring sourness to the discussion. She remained silent.

The older man tightened his jaw. “Miss Tetra, ship repairs are also necessary, our last Fortress attack, two months ago, it took a heavy toll on-”

“I know.” There it comes. The temper. He braced for it, but it never hit. “We’ll discuss it later with Mako present, and organize accordingly. For now, you are free to go, Nudge. Thank you for listening.” And he left her chambers, closing the door behind him.

Honestly, he was taken aback. If he’d mentioned the necessary expenses for the ship only a few months prior, the shouting would have had no end. Surely, something was different.

He walked on deck, letting the sun rest upon his skin, allowing his lungs to fill with the salty wind of the ocean.

Carefully, he took a seat by the stairs that led to the fore deck, concentrating in nothing in particular but the vast blue in front of him. It has been roughly two weeks since their captain had come back. He remembered how uncertain they were back then. How similar the feeling of losing Miss Tetra was to losing family, a sister.

 _It happened again._ He had told himself. And like before, they had not been able to do anything about it. First, it was the _big fucking bird,_ then it was an ancient magician that seeked the same treasure they were looking for.

Slowly, he touched his features, caressing the little bumps on his face, marked and formed after many years of battles and struggles. _But what good is experience if you keep fucking up?_

Not only that, she had changed. She was not the same captain as she was when she went. Whether she changed for the better or not, it’s yet to be seen.

“Nudge, ‘scuse me.” He heard from his right, turning his head accordingly. It was the kid.

“May you please move a little to the left, I need to get through.” asked Link, as he hugged a small crate full of bottles of liquid.

Nudge sat up and said nothing, allowing the new recruit through. The boy grinned and climbed the stairs, one step at a time, resting in intervals of two.

Frustrated in his struggle, the older man picked the crate one handed from the boy, finishing the climb himself. “I...thanks.” The boy appeared smaller than he actually was next to his senior.

Link climbed back down, rubbing his left shoulder. Nudge said nothing and followed the new recruit. He found a pile of crates.

“Umm, do you want to help?” No answer came.

The man crouched between two crates, hugging them both, fitting them tightly against his chest. “You have to lift with your knees.”

Link nodded and did his best to mimic the way the older man did it. He seemed fatigued. “You’re injured.”

“I was injured. Now, I’m healing.” said the boy, doing his best to keep his balance.

The pirate exhaled. “Place it upon your good shoulder, use your other hand to keep it in place.” And so he did.

The two kept quiet as they worked, ascending and descending the stairs of the fore deck accordingly. Sometimes they agreed into lifting the same box together, other times they would swap. Link commented on his strength, and although he did not reply, he appreciated the remark.

Nudge always thought of himself as a man of few words. He worked best with people like Zuko, Gonzo and Miss Tetra, who knew how to work in silence when words were not needed. More than anything, he enjoyed the sounds of waves carried by the growing winds of the north in the early morning, where his mind could float wherever he wanted it to go. He welcomed these moments of quiet when the seas would speak to him clearly.

Nudge placed a hand between Link’s shoulder blades “Your shoulders.”

“Uh?”

“Keep ‘em straight.” Link did as he was told, and Nudge followed him with his hands full.

He stared as they walked. “Why are you working if you’re still healing?”

“I can’t do much yet, I want to do something useful” the young hero replied, still facing ahead.

He smirked at that. “Healing is useful.”

“Perhaps this is my own way of healing. I enjoy the sun too much.” He set the crate down.

Link sat, contemplating on the amount of cargo they still had to carry up. “We’ll then have to bring them to the storage room.” Nudge commented, opening one of the many wooden boxes they have been moving. “I know.”

Carefully, he extracted two containers of different shapes, although they were still bottles. “With or without booze?”

“Without.” And he handed it over to the boy, sitting next to him, using his own knee as a stand for his elbow.

The afternoon’s lights and colors brought the songs of seagulls with them; all his senses were attuned, attentive to every sensation of the breeze, of his own sweat and the sun. He eyed the boy, who eagerly drank with big gulps.

They did not speak a single word until they had to start working again, and when they finished, he realized one more person was added to the list he enjoyed working with.

#

It had been a few months since someone other than himself had to come up the crow’s nest and, truthfully, it made him nervous. As time passed and the roles of each member of the crew became more and more defined, this spot for peaceful scouting had become a sort of sanctuary for him. Zuko sighed in resignation.

 _At the end of the day, this is everyone’s ship_ Zuko told himself, making sure that all the necessary equipment was ready for Link’s “visit”.

Miss Tetra had demanded that Link learned how to properly recognize landmarks. Moreover, Zuko had to help him understand how sail plan’s work, while helping him with hands-on practice.

The pirate closed his eyes, allowing the wind to guide his head, letting his nerves melt into it. The trap door moved slightly. He gulped.

“Zuko! Sorry for the wait!” Link said with the Wind Waker between his teeth. “My shoulder has been making climbing ladders a little harder than usual.”

Zuko moved closer to the boy, offering his hand in a helping gesture. Link eagerly accepted.

“Alright, I’m ready to learn!” he announced.

The pirate man stared. “O-ok, emm,” he paused. “From what Miss Tetra has told me, your baton has the ability to move the winds as you please.”

“Yup!”

“And create cyclones that can transport smaller ships.”

“It would destroy this ship if we tried.”

Zuko turned to the sea. “So, our objective here is to help you recognize landmarks and a variety of ocean landscapes to help guide you better, right?”

Link nodded enthusiastically. “This way, we’ll be able to use the Wind Waker much more efficiently. When I traveled, I never learned how to move properly, since my boat would tell me where to sail.”

Zuko decided to ignore the boat comment and handed his telescope to Link. “Recognizing the islands and rock shapes is quite important.”

Link smiled and he continued. “Maps are usually made such that these shapes can be identified prior to our arrival. Not only that, the job of the lookout helps prepare the crew for an imminent attack by approaching foes.” He guided the boy’s head by gently moving the telescope.

“I need you to learn how to recognize the colors of the ocean as light hits. The clearer colors indicate shallower water and may suggest the presence of rocks that can damage the hull.”

He shifted towards the skies. “Cloud shapes will warn us of eventual rain. Knowledge of this will allow for better planning and management of the ship’s structure. Water can very much damage a ship and constant repairs will be necessary. We want to limit that.” When Zuko turned his head, he found Link staring intently, not at the clouds, but at him. .

Link’s ever-present smile was brimming. “You know a lot.”

“We live in the sea, we need to know all this.”

“I know, it’s just... it’s pretty cool.” And Zuko did not know what to say. It is very unlike any pirate to complement each other in such a manner. With earnest amazement, that is. A grin creeped up his lips and he continued.

First, he spoke of the types of winds, then on the types of sails, which led to the various configurations in which they can be positioned.

“So, the mainsail is the one that’s rigged on the main mast, while the mizzen is the one at the stern of the ship.” the boy mouthed out, thumb under his chin as he inspected the sails below them.

“Exactly; all these have to be sustained with a particular knot that is going to keep them rolled, but that, with the well positioned tug, will free them to fly and allow us to move.” Zuko, held a rope in his hands.

“Now, what’s a staysail?” The pirate questioned the boy, although, before he could answer, an arm wrapped around Zuko’s neck, pulling him down.

“The cloth that’s attached to the stay, the wires that keep the main mast in place.”

“Exactly, Miss Tetra.” Zuko responded, a little more sheepishly than he had intended to.

Link’s eyes lit up. “Oh look, Miss I’ve-Always-Lived-In-The-Sea is going to show the poor island _man_ how much more knowledge she has about ships. Not fair.”

“Pirates are never fair, Mr Island _Boy_.” She tugged Zuko’s neck a little harder. “How is our recruit doing? Should we make him walk the plank?”

Link chuckled and Zuko smiled. “Not yet, he has been answering everything correctly.” Miss Tetra let go of Zuko’s neck to lean on the railings of the crow’s nest more comfortably.

“Our ship is quite amazing, a marvel of design and strength.” she turned to Link and bit her lip. “You’re very lucky to be part of our crew.”

“Oh, I am well aware.” The boy lightly punched the arm of the pirate girl, leaving Zuko confused as to what was happening. _I thought we were studying._

“M-miss Tetra,” He interjected. “We’re not done yet, if you would please-”

“I’d like to see how you teach, maybe have my memory refreshed. Maybe I want to see if you know your stuff. Point is,” She paused and winked. “I also want to listen.”

And so, he continued, trying a little harder than he was a minute ago. Topics went from wood color to wood diversity; the way a knot holding the sails on the main mast should be placed to how it should be removed. Miss Tetra would often enrich the conversation, giving extra tidbits of information that even Zuko had either forgotten or never known about.

Inversely, while Link mostly kept quiet, his enthusiasm for the topic at hand did not waiver, showing the same interest for each one, no matter which followed which.

If Zuko had to be honest with himself, he’d had to admit he’s had fun. It’s been nice having his captain be so cheerful and a new member that was so willing to learn. _Goddess know, Niko was never like this._

When the sun started to rise a little taller from the early morning, shouts from deck announced that it was time for lunch, and while the trio initially ignored the warnings, eventually Zuko excused himself.

Miss Tetra and Link came down roughly an hour later.

#

Mako wiped the sweat off his forehead. The environment was getting a little hotter than it was supposed to.

“Listen, maps of the Great Sea are incomplete. There is no real reassurance into how accurate they are.” Miss Tetra rebuked, allowing her weight to rest upon the table.

Nudge straightened his shoulders. “Yes, of course, but this is our best course of action. If we properly examine the maps, detailing distances, and island structure, we could very well predict our-”

“Mako and I have been at it for days! And nothing’s come from it! If we spend all of our money into supplies for a journey still wrapped in mystery, we’ll be fuc-” She stopped herself before finishing, eyeing the new recruit that sat between Gonzo, Zuko and Nudge, looking very out of place himself.

Miss Tetra resumed. “We’ll...be taking too much of a gamble. We have to be certain.”

“Miss Tetra,” Gonzo started. “As uncertain as it may be, you know very well how difficult it is to get new information on the ocean at large, yeah?” He crossed his legs. “Our best bet is to pick a direction and move forward.”

Mako sighed. “Gonzo, long distance travel like this can be very expensive and time consuming. I’ve deducted, already considering the repairs that the ship needs,” Miss Tetra’s gaze darkened. “Roughly half a million rupees will be necessary. This will cover food expenses, clean water and all the necessary equipment.”

“And of course, that’s only for a 3 to 4 month voyage. How in the f-” She bit her lip and swallowed some air. “How are we supposed to do another one like that if we do not find what we’re looking for? Moreover, if no earnings come from this, our investment would’ve been as useful as if we’d just drop it in the sea!”

Silence filled the dining room. It’s at moments like these that Mako wished Niko was present, as his whole persona would bring some needed levity to the meeting. He removed his glasses, suddenly feeling the need to clean them from the nonexistent dust that’d fallen on them.

When the discussion had started, Gonzo had just arrived to share his ideas as to how they should approach the substitution of the damage sail and bowsprit. This obviously led to the topic of money and the voyage for this unknown land Miss Tetra and Link had heard from the King of Hyrule of old. Nudge and the boy had arrived soon after.

Mako felt the hair of his arms rise when Nudge spoke. “Link, if you’d got something to say, maybe this would be your chance.” And he was on his feet at once, his stance as rigid as the pillar behind him.

Nudge nodded. “You said you wanted to speak with Miss Tetra about this very topic. Go on.”

Miss Tetra’s gaze softened.

“W-well, I’ve been thinking,” he set his thumb under his chin. “The Great Sea wasn’t so great, was it?”

“What are you getting at?” Gonzo questioned with slight annoyance in his voice. Miss Tetra glared at her second in command.

“R-right, well. The ocean was the land of Hyrule of old, vast and full of life. Along that land, many hills and mountain tops rose very high. Some were so tall, they touched the skies we now know as our oceans.”

“If this is the case, it would not be completely absurd to believe that the many islands we have today are none other than these mountains,” he paused. “The top of the mountains, I mean.”

Mako adjusted his glasses and grinned. _I see._ “It would not be ridiculous to also say, if the first assumption is true, that this new land would also be the mesa of a mountain, or a chain of mountains. Mountains of old Hyrule.”

And at that, Mako burst out laughing. “Yes! Of course, it makes total sense!” the room turned to him. He ignored the stares, focused on Link alone. “We need a map of Old Hyrule! From that we would be able to predict how this new land is supposed to look! Hell, if we had one, we could use the islands we already have knowledge of, like Outset island, as reference to measure the distance between it and the new land!”

The boy’s smile was wide, spreading from ear to ear. “Yes, and I may have a hunch as to where we could find them!”

Miss Tetra punched the table, biting her lip with excitement. “You do?!” And she laughed.

Nudge ruffled the top of Link’s head, doing his best not to smirk. “Inside the temples of Wind and Earth. Within the chambers of prayer, the landscape of Old Hyrule was carved in its walls!”

“We’re closer to the Wind temple! Miss Tetra, may I set our course for Windfall Island?” Mako asked with an extended palm positioned on his forehead.

Miss Tetra stood straight. “Of course! Link, go to the crow’s nest with Zuko and direct our winds towards Windfall; Gonzo, the wheel; Nudge, the sails!” She winked. “Let’s go find this fucking place, boys!”

And the crew cheered.

#

Even in the dim lights of the night, Link managed to recognize his captain, wheel in hand. She wore her usual white shorts and purple sleeveless top. He was a little surprised and, truthfully, flustered, by how much of an effect seeing her hair flowing freely in the wind had on him. He swallowed it down and approached her.

“You’re late.” Tetra said.

Link shrugged, doing his best to let a smile slip by. “I was busy, my captain has been busting my butt recently.”

She let her weight rest on her hip. “Oh yeah? Is she really that annoying?”

“Wouldn’t say annoying. More like bossy. Like really b- Ow!” Link let out, massaging the point that had been punched. “Let me finish my sentence!”

Tetra seemed unimpressed, although a hint of a smile was starting to creep on her lips. “She is bossy, _but_ ,” he accentuated the ‘but’. “It is quite necessary because it helps me be the best version of myself, allowing me to learn and teach, and be a better person in general and- Ow! Again!”

She was laughing, and he was too.

“Enough brown nosing, you dolt. Com’here.” Tetra said, guiding Link to the upper side of the poop deck. “D’you remember how to hold the wheel?” The young hero nodded.

“Good, do not use too much strength. Always check how the ship is moving. We do not want everyone to wake up in fear like a week ago.”

Link pursed his lips. “Well, you’d told me to lean on the thing! How was I supposed to-”

“Softly lean on it! You have to use your whole body to stir! In what world does that translate to hang your body from one of the sides?” This time it was Link’s turn to look unimpressed.

“It made sense at the time.” He replied with a smirk. She lightly shook her head and propped her elbow on his good shoulder. “At least you're getting better.” He wondered whether he was flushing.

The two stayed silent for a while, enjoying the sounds of a calm night in warm weather in each other’s company. It had become some kind of ritual as of late. They would meet late at night after a day of work, allowing their stress to flow away along the waves that gently lull their ship.

Their late meetups had started as an excuse for Tetra to teach Link how to maneuver the vessel, since, according to Tetra, every member of the crew had to be able to do the bare minimum when it came to handling it. Their lessons were full of jabs at each other, mixed with laughter and teasing. Link came to look forward to the lessons that were to come.

As their time together grew, the more sincere their talks started to become, and although there were moments of quiet, they never felt out of place between them.

After each lesson, they would often linger on, watching the hypnotic movements of the nightly waves or stargazing.

Books worth of stories had come from shapes of stars as Tetra recalled the numerous warriors, lords, heroes and princesses they were named after. And Link listened. And they laughed and dreamed. Link would always thank her for every good story she told, as they laid next to each other, gazing upwards. Sometimes she would turn to see his face, facing away from the bright dotted sky, and he’d noticed, never saying anything.

She would always ask for a story in return and he’d obliged. Some were about the times he had spent in Outset Island; she loved those. Some were about his adventures in the Great Sea, she’d liked those less, saying she was sorry he was forced to be involved. He’d say not to apologize, that’d he’d do it all over again. She’d smile and lightly punch him.

Link would go to bed thinking of her smile.

Tetra moved in front of the wheel, resting her elbows on the wooden railing in front of Link. “I can’t see with you in front.” He protested with amusement in his voice.

She ignored him, never taking her eyes off him. “Good job today.”

“For what?”

Tetra rolled her eyes. “Ugh, you know why, just accept my praise and be done with it.”

“Whatever are you talking about? I can’t seem to recall anything special about today.” He looked past her, trying to contain laughter.

“You’re so immature.” She said, shaking her head. “Fine! Thanks for your _amazing_ idea! We would've never done it without you!”

Link could not help but laugh. “Could you say that with a little less sarcasm?”

“Be an ass to me and I’ll be an ass to you.” She propped her elbows of the wheel, hands under her chin as support. Link held the wheel tight and took a deep breath. “No, but seriously, thanks. That was a good idea. I was-” She blew a strand of hair off her face and Link took notice on how it shone in the night’s gleam. She continued. “Stuck. Had no idea how to find this place. That was smart of you.”

“I’m full of surprises.” He replied, then his eyes slowly met hers. “It was the least I could do. You know since you allowed me to join.”

“Bah, you deserved it. You’ve shown your worth. Besides, everyone in the crew likes you.”

“Gonzo doesn’t.”

Tetra’s eyes lost the amusement they had had a few moments before and straightened her back; Link kept a firm hold on the wheel.

“Gonzo’s...always been like these with new recruits. When Senza and Zuko joined, it had been a nightmare. When Niko joined, it had been worse. He gets better. I promise.” Her mouth remained open, as if to continue speaking, although it took a few seconds before she did. “He just cares too much. About all of us.”

Link wore a warm smile. “I had guesses as much. This is a dangerous world. And this crew is amazing. I also want to protect it.” He leaned forward. “Especially our crazy captain.”

She closed their distance again and he let his chin rest onto the wheel. “You are such a dork. So cheesy” She whispered. “A cool dork.” He responded.

Once more, she moved a strand of hair behind her ear. “Wanna go stargazing?”

“With you? Nah.”

They both chuckled as they made their way to the crow’s nest. They stayed there for a few hours.


	4. Windfall Island

Rumor was it that they have been back for a few hours now; the pirates that ruined him. He despised them.

Every day he would stand at port, waiting for the goods to be delivered for the shop he's been working in, the Chu Jelly Juice Shop, a rather sketchy place that was always filled with fumes of different colors and weird smells. Worst of all was his whimsical boss, Doc Bandam, who would always be giggling to himself as he worked on his newest potion.

If he was being honest, working was not so bad. In the 6 months he has been grinding for money, he's been able to lose a good amount of weight, and he was finally able to get acquainted with the people of Windfall island.

No, the worst part of poverty was not working, or lacking a place to sleep and eat. It was his inability to provide for his beautiful daughter, Mila.

_It's all their fault._

"We're gonna need more than that, fatty." The shorter pirate had told him, his hands full of rupees he had already given away. "B-but, you didn't ask the old man that much money for HIS daughter! Why do I have to pay this much more?!"

The leader, a darker skin young woman stepped forward. "Niko, don't call our customer fat, that's rude." She looked around his mansion. "Consider this an interest rate. Or a tax. Or whatever. You have more money, don't you?" She had smiled with a hint of pleasure. "Then you HAVE to pay more."

They took everything. Every single rupee, vase, painting; even his shoes. "It was all worth it." He'd told his daughter as he deepened their embrace. "You're safe." Mila had cried for three days straight.

He was not the only one that was robbed. They did the same to poor old Master Cannon, emptying his bomb store. He was never the same.

"I was never the same too." he said under his breath, a sting of rage rising from the thought of what he'd lost.

Like every other morning, he stood guard on port, waiting for his boss' goods to arrive. The boy in green was with her, the pirate captain. He swallowed. _He had promised to bring her back._ His grip tightened. _He had failed. And now he's with them._

The boy smiled and approached him.

"Hi, sir! How are you? How's Mila?" For a second, he wondered what would happen if he punched him right then and there. _No, the girl has her hand resting on her cutlass._ "We're fine, boy." He lied.

The boy widened his smile and the old man hated it. "Great! I had heard from Mila that she's been working during nighttime on some other island. Must be difficult. I-"

"Cut to the chase, boy. What do you want?" He could not bear listening to one more word coming from this useless idiot.

The pirate girl's gaze rested on him. He did not care.

"R-right." The boy gulped. "We are headed to the Gale Isle. But rumor has it that a group of pirates has sailed towards our destination before us. We wanted to-"

"Ask for some information as to who they were, am I right?"

The boy nodded and the girl only stared.

He pondered for a few seconds whether or not he should answer. He knew what they were talking about and he could make some good money from them. He shot down that idea almost immediately.

"Get lost, you shameless thieves! Never speak to me again!" He let his right foot in front of himself, ready to rush them if needed. "And never speak to my daughter aga-"

He stopped as the pirate girl let her cutlass come into his field of view.

The man pursed his lips and let his shoulders drop, and even after they had left, the feeling of satisfaction did not vanish for a few hours.

#

Tetra had soon realized that nobody would want to speak to them.

They've spent a day wandering about the entirety of the island, only to be constantly greeted by sideway glances and wary looks.

She had decided to try and look less threatening.

"Leave the cutlass on board." Link suggested. "Impossible, a pirate is nothing without his weapons." Senza intervened.

"Maybe we could hide it?"

The day after, she left on her own with just a dagger. The crew was separated in pairs, leaving her on her own to try and figure out how to steal the knowledge they needed from the islanders.

Tetra scratched the back of her head. The roads were empty. Again.

"Why can't we just head to Gale Isle? We'll fight the other pirates and be done with it." Niko had asked while they got ready for the day. "Information is vital when it comes to battle, yeah?" Gonzo wrapped a dagger with a simple cloth and hid it inside his left boot. He continued. "At least knowing who we are about to face will give us a chance to figure out what our enemies are thinking. All we need is a name."

And she'll get a name, be it the last thing she does. Although, she had promised Link not to use violence with anyone. He had used some kind of argument regarding the possibility of having an island other than Outset that allows pirates to go about their business. Certainly, Tetra understood almost immediately that it was not the sole reason. She's seen how he greets everyone, how he knows every street corner, how he confidently moves about the small land around them. The islanders respect him.

_But they still refuse to aid us._

Sometimes a pirate's reputation is not ideal.

The wind blew strong, filling the little plaza in front of the school.

Tetra carefully studied her surroundings, noticing just how old and decrepit some of these buildings were. Rust covered almost all exposed metal surfaces, nails and screws, along with broken signs. Mold imitated rust, as it grew on wet and dry wood alike; on the stairs and bridge, ones that seem to have lived through countless repairs.

Tetra bit her lip as she made her way back, letting the tip of her fingers bush against the hard stone of the Pictograph Gallery. Nobody has exited their homes since she's come. She wondered how her crew was doing. She then thought of Link, having gone with Nudge to explore the southern side of the island. _Maybe he'll get something out of the Bomb Shop owner._

The young pirate stopped at the sound of waves. For some reason, the sound of the sea did not feel muted or distant like in the plaza. There was a path that led to the sea that she was not seeing. She let her ear guide her past the Café bar and the shop from the eskimo guy, to the left down - some old creaking stairs. Someone stood in front of her, an old woman; her eyes relentlessly staring in the blue of the sea. Tetra wore her most charming smile.

"Hello, my young friend, how is this lovely day treating you?" The old lady smiled without facing her.

"Hello, young lady. I'm doing quite fine, how about you?"

Tetra smirked. _And the hunt begins._

"Really well actually. This beautiful Island has given me a lot of opportunities to feel relaxed. It is a grandiose experience, really"

The old woman produced a choked laugh. "You have an extensive vocabulary, don't you? Say, what's your name?"

Tetra thought of it for the tiniest of moments. "Bonnie. Short for Bonnibelle."

"What an exquisite name, Bonnie. My name is Missy. Short for Missy." She laughed and Tetra gave a confused smile in response.

"Well, miss Missy, my family and I have been traveling for a long while in search of adventure! The Great Sea is full of surprises that are waiting to be discovered. We have come to find them!"

Missy looked at her with the tail of her left eye. "Then I'm afraid you have come to the wrong place. Nothing interesting ever happens in good old Windfall Island." Tetra took a step closer. "Oh, on the contrary! We have heard rumors, y'see?"

"Rumors?"

"Yes, rumors!" She moved closer still. Close enough for a whisper to be uttered. "Of pirates," Tetra stood back and winked at the old woman. "And I know y'all hiding it."

Missy was not impressed. "As an adventurer, I wish to conquer fear and defend the weak. By finding these lowlifes, we'll rid the waters of our precious oceans of pain and misery." She extended her hand. "Help me, help you!"

A quiet moment fell between the two, staring into each other's eyes. _It's so hard to smile like this._ Tetra bit the inside of her mouth. She felt she could keep her lie for a few more minutes, maybe smooth her into revealing what she knows, but Missy cut it short with a long-winded sigh.

"I know who you are, miss Pirate Tetra. We had a meeting in the auction house yesterday."

Tetra's shoulders dropped along with her body, allowing the wooden stairway step to soften her fall. She was tired of this. "How about money?"

"No, thank you."

"Why does everyone refuse money? Do you guys survive solely on honor and air?" She was getting exasperated. "Buy yourself something nice, come on! 500 rupees!"

"I do not need the money, young lady."

"Like hell you do. Just give me a damn name!"

Missy turned to the sea again, letting Tetra's demand linger for a few seconds. She closed her eyes and let the wind caress her face. "When I was younger, I always wished to travel and experience the world. To know how it felt to take a chance with life; to grab the metaphorical bull by the horns and make my own path." She sat down next to Tetra. "But I never did. Do you want to know why?"

Tetra stayed silent.

"'Cause I fell in love with this. And I'm content with what we have." She gestured towards nothing, but Tetra knew she meant everything. Everything around her, above and below. Windfall Island.

"These pirates you're looking for," Missy held her hands together. "They demanded bombs, pickaxes, shovels...when they left, they robbed a part of Windfall." The younger girl set her chin on her knees.

"We do not want something like that to ever happen again. We do not want you to go get them for us. If you fight, whether you win or lose, we'll always be the real losers. We'll not allow ourselves to be robbed again. Not by them, nor you. Not anymore."

A knot climbed its way into Tetra's throat.

Slowly, Tetra got back up. "I'm sorry." And left as fast as her legs allowed her to.

#

Link traced the outlines of Windfall as accurately as he could remember. The prison in which he first found Tingle was the only building that was evidenced in his rudimentary map of the island. Tetra sat next to him, legs crossed, attentively following Link's tracing of each trapdoor within the prison's secret passage.

"Many of these trapdoors have openings under a few buildings. Two of these go under the school," He placed a circle where the school was supposed to be. "And windmill." Tetra nodded and Link continued. "The floors are not thick enough to prevent sound. Although, if someone's walking too loudly above you, hearing conversations could be difficult."

Tetra nodded absent mindedly, her eyes fixed on Link's drawings. Link bumped his shoulder with hers. "You alright?"

As if she's just come back from a trace, Tetra turned to the boy, her eyes visibly tired. "I'm just frustrated. We have been here for a few days. It amazes me how well everyone hides the identity of these pirates. And that damned old lady..."

Link smiled, shifting his weight to the right. "Missy can be quite a handful." The wind suddenly brushed against his and Tetra's hair, a few strands of hers ending up in his mouth. She laughed and he spat. He reasoned that drawing a map of the island on deck was not the greatest of ideas.

"We're pirates, y'know?" The young captain murmured. "We do what we do to survive. We stole from the richest people here. It's not our fault others came and stole from everyone else." She turned to Link, and her eyebrows rose. "I'm guessing you don't really agree with me, do you?"

"What can I say, I like these people." Link turned to the windmill that slowly turned with the wind. "They don't have much wealth. I kind of see them like I see the people on Outset."

Tetra rested her head on his left shoulder and Link straightened his back. He hoped he wasn't blushing too hard. "Then why help us?"

"Because I like you."

He felt Tetra's smirk. "A-and the crew. I like you all." He wanted to avoid her gaze. "And they'll come to like you as well. You'll see."

She slowly moved backwards, rolling up the map Link had drawn. "How will they come to like us?" Link kept his eyes on the windmill. "We'll return everything the other pirates stole, right?"

Tetra said nothing, making her way to the port where Senza and Zuko were waiting.

As she descended, Link admired how the sun shone on her sun-kissed skin.

Today, her hair was free from the usual bun she molds it into, allowing it to flow and rest on her shoulders. But when she moved, in those short moments where her hair danced around her, her neck would come into view. He would often have to calm himself down.

She turned to him and gave him a soft smile accompanied with a wink. "Good luck." Her voice was like music.

Tetra and the other two pirates made their way to the prison; still visible from the ship's deck.

Gonzo approached from his right. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes, let's get moving. Niko, Mako and Nudge should already be at the cafè." Said Link, a bag full of rupees dangling from his hip. They left the ship right after.

Meticulously, Gonzo let pieces of food to fall from his hands and one by one, pigs started to clutter the open field in the port. Mila's father glared at them. Link looked at Gonzo. "You shouldn't have brought your sword."

"You brought yours."

"They're used to seeing mine."

Gonzo eyed the boy with great annoyance. "We had to get they're attention. The they're chasing the damn pigs and they're looking at us. Carrying my sword helps too."

Link remained silent. He figured the plan was working.

While the prison's secret passage was a good idea, too much noise will prevent Tetra and the others from picking up whatever anybody's saying. If they could somehow move the bulk of the people that were in the plaza in front of the school to anywhere else, gathering clues or, hell, at least the name of the pirates in Gale Isle would be easier.

Link and Gonzo are the decoy they needed. Kids will chase the pigs and adults will follow them as they make their way to the café bar. Only Mrs. Marie and Salvatore would stay behind in the plaza. Luckily for them, Mrs. Marie is quite the talkative person, even if the person she's speaking to is as taciturn as Salvatore.

When Zunari's stand came into view, Link's wore a smile as pleasant as he could. Gonzo did too. _There she is._

"Mila! It's been a while!" He waved energetically, his elbow resting on the counter of the shop. Zunari noticed the boy, displaying a soft grin that quickly disappeared when he noticed Gonzo was behind him.

"I've been doing pretty good, thank you very much." Mila answered with a slight bow. "Working my butt off, but it's worth it."

Link was content to have found her as peppy as always. And that she was not lying. Last time he saw her, she was wearing an empty potato sack; the smell of dirt was always accompanying her. This time she wore a sky-blue dress, adorned with several sunflower designs along with light green sandals that matched the blue oceans in her eyes. Her blonde hair had grown longer and was held together by a handmade bow.

She twirled on the spot so that Link could get a better view of her dress. "I am guessing this is new?" She nodded, her cheeks a light shade of red. "It looks great on you."

She turned her face downwards. "Thank you." She mumbled. She tried her best to hide her reddened face. "H-how can I help you?"

Gonzo made a _tsk_ sound and Link moved closer to her, hoping he would not hear. A few of the women that had moved from the plaza were intently looking at the exchange. "I was hoping I could buy some flowers."

"Oh? Are they for someone in particular?" Link's jaw tightened and bit his lower lip.

"A... friend."

Mila smiled enthusiastically. "Which ones? We have the-"

"I also," He paused, closing their distance a little more. Her blushing was more evident than before. He continued. "Wanted to buy some maps..."

Mila's mouth morphed downwards. "Of any particular island?"

"Northern sector of the Great Sea. Do you have any left?"

Mila quickly looked around her. Her gaze met Gonzo's for the slightest of moments. "Not really. I've been away for a few days. I have no idea if they restocked."

Link nodded. "That's a shame. Is there someone else I could ask?"

"No. Zunari put away his favorite map in the safe this morning. He was drinking his coffee while doing so." She turned her back towards Link and picked a handful of blue flowers with white outlines. "That's his favorite coffee. The only one he likes."

Link understood. He quietly went for his rupee bag.

"It'll be 24 rupees." He held her hand and flowers with both his hands and noticed how blood rushed to her cheeks. "Thank you. I mean it. Keep the change."

He winked and turned around, not waiting to see Mila's reaction and signaling an enraged Gonzo to follow him.

The two of them made their way to the ship before anyone else, leaving the only sound to be heard being the slow waves that danced around the port. Gonzo suddenly stopped once inside the ship, sending Link's nose crashing against his shoulder.

"Ouch- the flowers! They got squished, why'd you stop like that?"

"Why, in the name of the goddess Hylia, did you just gift that girl 800 rupees?" Gonzo calmly asked.

Link walked past him. "It's my money, Gonzo. I wanted to give it away."

"That's not the point. I remember that girl. She's the daughter of that rich prick."

Link set his flowers down. "What are you getting at? I was helping her, that's all." The older pirate took a tentative step. "I bet it looks great from the outside, pirates giving their money away."

"What?"

Gonzo pointed a finger toward Windfall. "Those people. They're hiding something from us. Normally, if we wanted something, we'd just take it." He moved closer to the railing of the ship. "But now, for some reason, we're asking." He turned to Link. "Tell me, Link. Why are we asking?"

Link's left shoulder felt tense. "Because it's the right thing to do."

"We're pirates! We do what we want!" He stepped forward. "And you're giving them money? What's wrong with you?!" He did not wait for an answer and continued. "You care so damn much, right? Link, your ship comes first!" He took another step. "Your crewmates come first!" Once more, he approached him. "Your captain comes first! Not some fucking nobody that you find somewhere. Us! We're a family! Miss Tetra is our sister and we are brothers! And you-" He came right up to the boy's face, his index finger a short distance from touching him. "You don't belong here. You don't have what it takes to be a pirate."

Link's face remained unchanged; a stone hard expression fixed on his features. Gonzo straightened his back and let a sigh escape. "No reaction, yeah?" he smirked. "Then you can go play with your damn islanders for all I care. Go feed the poor, ya idiot."

"There would be no need to feed them if it wasn't for you."

Gonzo's satisfied smile did not surprise the hero. He got baited. He did not care. "It's our fault, uh? Guess you're right." The older man made his way to the port. "Maybe I'll go feed them with you and make them spit what we need to know."

Link's sword was on his hand before he himself had noticed. Gonzo turned to face the wanna-be pirate, answering by unsheathing his own cutlass sword. Link lunged at him.

#

Tetra let her back breathe a little. The heat from those tight passages under the prison were burning hot and she couldn't wait to get out.

"Did you hear something, Miss Tetra?" Asked Senza, who was standing guard next to the closed door. She shook her head. "Only an old woman talking about jewelry. She mentioned Joy Pendants... Not sure how those qualify as jewels."

Zuko covered the secret passage entrance with a box. "What now?"

Tetra narrowed her eyes for a few seconds. "This place has several other passages underneath. Zuko should fit just as well as I did. I need you to check where the others lead. Senza, be ready to blow a hole in the wall if he needs help." She opened the door just enough to let the ocean's breeze fill the room. "Link mentioned that these passages are visible from the outside. I'll go check."

Before she left, Senza made a harsh noise with his throat. "Yes, Senza?"

"I have a query, Miss Tetra. May I speak?"

The young captain huffed. "I already gave you the go-ahead."

"Why are we sneaking around the island for the information? Why not just... take it?"

 _Mmmh, I thought they would have asked sooner._ She closed the door and looked at Senza with sterile eyes. "Just as Link said. This place has been one of the few that has accepted pirates, to a certain degree."

"It is important since this place is, for the most part, safe. Replenishing supplies and gathering information is easy enough. I am guessing that the reason they have not outright attacked us is because we brought those girls back and that nobody really liked that bomb guy." She turned her back to the older pirate. "A few allies won't do us any harm. We'll return the crap they had stolen from them, gain their trust." On her way out, she spoke one final time. "On the offhand they become problematic, we already know every nook and cranny of the island."

Tetra felt Senza and Zuko's grins as she left.

As she made her way toward the port, she felt a tinge of guilt rise. _I'll do my best to avoid conflict._ Long strands of grass lightly floated around her ankles. _But if conflict is ever necessary, my crew will always come first, you included, Link._ She wanted to see Link as soon as possible.

A loud clash from her own ship snapped her out of her deep thoughts. She ran, hand on the hilt of her cutlass. Her climb of the ship was cautious, carefully placing her feet such that any attack she would suffer could be parried.

She grits her teeth. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Tetra yelled, her voice a thunder in a storm. Gonzo dropped his cutlass as soon as he perceived his captain's eyes, although Tetra was hardly paying any attention to him.

Link was lying on the ground, trying his best to regain his composure, allowing his weight to rest on the ship's railing. He stared at her and her heart ached.

She made her way towards Gonzo, and he stood there, a statue in flesh. Her fist made a muffled sound when it made contact with the pirate's abdomen, dropping him to his knees. She noticed he almost puked.

Her feet carried her to where Link was trying to stand, her hand on his shoulder as she checked for any serious injury. His chest was full of mud. "You kicked him?! He is injured you idiot! You're my vice-captain!" Link held onto her forearm and she helped him sit. Gonzo stared with pale skin.

"What were you even th-"

"I started it." Link spoke, his voice a light hum. "I drew my sword first. I attacked first."

Tetra saw Gonzo's eyes soften and she turned to Link. "You attacked your superior with a sword?"

The boy remained silent for a single moment. "Yes."

The captain stood up, her hand in the shape of a fist. She bit her lip and crouched in front of Link. "Never use a deadly weapon with your crewmates." Tetra let some air escape her nose. She was perplexed, her instinct telling her to discipline her subordinate. She instead made her way to her vice-captain. "Gonzo, follow me."

Gonzo had just enough time to stand before the two of them left. Link did his best to stand up.


End file.
